GEOG 303 Midterm 2

Climate Forcings

An external or internal driver that causes a change in climate, such as solar variability or changes in CO2 levels.

Feedback

A response to climate forcing that amplifies or buffers the initial change in climate.

Carbon Cycle

The process through which carbon is exchanged in the Earth's system, involving sources and sinks of carbon.

Eccentricity

The shape of the Earth's orbit around the sun, changing on a cycle of about 100,000 years.

Precession

The change in the orientation of Earth's rotational axis, occurring over an approximately 11,000 year cycle.

Obliquity

The tilt of Earth's axis relative to its orbital plane, occurring over a cycle of about 40,000 years.

Geoengineering

Deliberate intervention in the Earth’s natural systems to counteract climate change.

Iron Fertilization

A geoengineering technique that adds iron to oceans to boost algal growth and increase carbon sequestration.

Anthropogenic Carbon Fluxes

Carbon emissions resulting from human activity, such as fossil fuel combustion and land-use change.

Carbon Sink

Natural systems that absorb more carbon dioxide than they release, helping to mitigate climate change.

Volcanic Outgassing

The release of gases, including CO2, from volcanic activity into the atmosphere.

Albedo Feedback

The process where changes in the Earth's surface reflectivity affect climate, often amplifying warming.

Aerosols

Tiny particles or droplets in the atmosphere that can affect climate by scattering sunlight.

Climate Modeling

Using computational techniques to simulate and predict climate behavior based on various scenarios.

Historical Climate

The study of past climate conditions based on evidence such as ice cores, tree rings, and sediment layers.

Climate proxies

Physical characteristics preserved in the environment that can be used to infer past climate conditions.

Snowball Earth

A hypothesized period in Earth's history when the planet was entirely covered in ice.

Paleoclimates

Ancient climates that can be reconstructed from physical records such as tree rings and ice cores.

Sunspots

Temporary phenomena on the Sun's photosphere that appear as spots and are associated with solar irradiance.

Total Solar Irradiance

The total amount of solar energy received per unit area at the top of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Milankovitch cycles

Long-term variations in Earth’s orbit and axial tilt that affect climate patterns.

Deep sea mud proxies

Sedimentary layers in deep-sea deposits used to analyze historical climate changes through isotopic studies.

Greenhouse gas variations

Changes in the concentration of gases such as CO2 in the atmosphere that influence Earth's temperature.

Glacial-interglacial cycles

Recurring periods of global climatic change involving advances and retreats of ice sheets.

Cenozoic cooling

A long-term cooling trend that has occurred in Earth's climate over the last few tens of millions of years.

Climate Change

A long-term alteration in temperature, precipitation, and other atmospheric conditions on Earth.

Greenhouse Gas

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect; includes CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Sea Level Rise

An increase in the level of the world's oceans due to climate change.

Typhoon Haiyan

A devastating tropical cyclone that struck the Philippines in 2013, causing significant damage and loss of life.

Permafrost Thaw

The process where permanently frozen ground begins to melt due to rising temperatures, leading to infrastructure issues.

Carbon Emissions

The release of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

Infrastructure

The fundamental physical and organizational structures necessary for the operation of a society, such as roads, bridges, and utilities.

Crop Yield

The amount of agricultural product harvested per area of land.

Agricultural Floodplains

Low-lying areas adjacent to rivers that are prone to flooding and are often fertile, making them ideal for agriculture.

Socio-economic Systems

Structures and processes that encompass the interactions between economic and social factors in society.

Wildfires

Uncontrolled fires that spread rapidly, often occurring in areas with dry vegetation.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Ecological Dynamics

The complex interactions and processes that occur between organisms and their environment.

Food Insecurity

The state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

Carbon Emissions

Release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, primarily from fossil fuel combustion.

Photosynthesis

Process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.

Drought

A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water.

Glacier Melting

The process by which glaciers lose mass due to warming temperatures and reduced snowfall.

Heatwaves

Prolonged periods of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity.

Wildfires

Uncontrolled fires that burn in wildland areas, often exacerbated by drought and heat.

Biodiversity Loss

Reduction in the variety of life forms on Earth, including species extinction and habitat destruction.

Health Impacts of Climate Change

Effects on health caused by climate-related disruptions, such as increased diseases or heat-related illnesses.

Urban Heat Islands

Urban areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying rural areas due to human activities.

Vibrio

A genus of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, often associated with the consumption of undercooked seafood.

Dengue

A viral infection transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, characterized by high fever, severe headaches, and joint pain.

World Health Organization (WHO)

A specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.

COP (Conference of the Parties)

A decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) where countries meet to assess progress in dealing with climate change.

Adaptation

Adjustments made in response to actual or expected climatic events to minimize harm or exploit beneficial opportunities.

Displacement

The forced movement of people away from their home or region due to environmental factors, such as climate change.

Climate Models

Complex mathematical relationships that couple forcings and endpoints to predict climate behavior.

Tipping Points

Points of change in a system where, once passed, a massive shift occurs, akin to a light switch.

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; an organization that assesses scientific information related to climate change.

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

A system of ocean currents that plays a key role in regulating the climate.

Socioeconomic Pathways

Shared socioeconomic pathways that incorporate human behavior into climate modeling forecasts.

Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs)

Scenarios that describe different climate futures based on varying levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

Circular Economy

An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources through reusing and recycling.

Thermohaline Circulation

A large-scale ocean circulation driven by global density gradients created by surface heat and freshwater fluxes.

Arctic Amplification

The phenomenon where the Arctic region is warming faster than the global average due to feedback mechanisms.

Extreme Weather Events

Severe weather conditions, such as hurricanes and floods, that are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Boreal Forests

Forest ecosystems located in northern regions, characterized by coniferous trees, rich biodiversity, and significant carbon storage.

Savannah

A mixed grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or sparse that the canopy does not close.

Permafrost

Ground that remains completely frozen for at least two consecutive years, playing a critical role in carbon storage.

Hydrological Cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth, significantly affected by climate change.

Climate Adaptation

Adjustments in practices, processes, and structures to minimize damage from the impacts of climate change.

Natural Carbon Sinks

Natural systems, such as forests and oceans, that absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they release.

Energy Transition

The process of changing the energy system from fossil fuels and high carbon outputs to renewable energy sources.

Extreme Agricultural Drought

A severe lack of moisture in soil, which significantly affects agricultural productivity and food security.

UNFCCC

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, established in 1992 as an international treaty to address climate change.

COP

Conference of the Parties, meetings held to discuss and adopt key goals regarding climate change under the UNFCCC.

Kyoto Protocol

An international treaty established at COP3 in 1997, which set mandatory targets for greenhouse gas emissions for developed countries.

Carbon Pricing

A policy approach that charges emitters a cost per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted to encourage reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Cumulative emissions

The total amount of greenhouse gases emitted over a period, rather than just annual emissions.

Emission Targets

Goals set by countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions within a specific timeframe.

Carbon Tax

A tax imposed on companies for the emission of carbon dioxide, intended to promote lower carbon emissions.

Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS)

Technologies that capture carbon dioxide emissions produced from the use of fossil fuels in electricity generation and store it underground.

Climate Adaptation

Adjustments made in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli to minimize damage

Per Capita Emissions

The average emissions produced per person in a given area, typically expressed in tonnes per year.

Net-Zero Emissions

The balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.